Iron comprising a pump for water/textile additive mixture

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns an iron comprising a water reservoir ( 5 ), a textile additive reservoir ( 12 ), and a pump ( 15 ) comprising a mixing chamber ( 20 ) capable of sucking into the mixing chamber a dose of water and a dose of additive via an additive proportioning tap ( 34 ), so as to produce in the mixing chamber a diluted additive solution, and of conveying said solution towards a sprayer ( 16 ). The invention is characterized in that the pump ( 15 ) is of the piston type mobile in a body ( 18 ) and defining the mixing chamber ( 20 ) which emerges into the water reservoir ( 5 ) via a non-return valve, and said pump ( 15 ) also serves as additive proportioning tap ( 34 ).

[0001] The present invention concerns an iron, notably a steam iron,having a water reservoir, a reservoir containing a textile additive, anda pump comprising a mixing chamber and capable, on the one hand, ofaspirating into the mixing chamber a dose of water from the waterreservoir as well as of additive from the additive reservoir via a tappermitting dosing of the additive, in a manner to produce in the mixingchamber a diluted solution of the additive, and on the other hand, ofconveying this solution toward a spraying device situated in the forwardpart of the iron.

[0002] It is known that with such an iron, the spraying onto fabric of adiluted active product serves to facilitate ironing while improvingsliding and removing creases.

[0003] In a known iron of this type, the water reservoir is connected tothe aspiration pump by a capillary tube, while the tap permitting dosingof the additive is equally connected to the pump by another capillarytube. Such an arrangement of these various organs is particularlydisparate and bulky and is difficult to produce during manufacture ofthe iron,

[0004] The invention has particularly for its object to eliminate theseinconveniences and to produce an iron, of the type set forth hereabove,in which the organs for pumping and dosing the additive are groupedtogether, this in view of simplifying their installation in the iron.

[0005] In an iron according to the invention the pump is of the pistontype being displaced in a body and delimiting in the lower part of thebody the mixing chamber that opens into the water reservoir via aone-way valve, and this pump equally serves as an additive dosing tap.

[0006] The pump and the additive dosing tap are thus grouped into acompact unitary body. In addition, the pump itself advantageouslyfulfills a double function, which is that of pumping to aspirate waterand additive, and that of dosing of the additive intended to be mixedwith the aspirated water, thus constituting in itself a true dosing pumpof a mixture of water and textile additive. Such a dosing pump can beproduced in the form of a small pump, thus occupying a small volume inthe iron.

[0007] According to one manner of construction of the invention, thepiston comprises two spaced mobile opening-closing organs, respectivelycalled upper and lower, mounted in the body of the pump in delimitingbetween them a dosing chamber, and controlled respectively by first andsecond actuation means linked to the piston, said upper and lower organsbeing mobile between a rest position in which the upper organ is open,while the lower organ is closed, in a manner to permit the passage of adose of additive from the additive reservoir toward the dosing chamber,and a working position in which the upper organ is closed under theaction of the first actuation means, while the lower organ is openedunder the action of the second actuation means, in a manner to permitpassage of the dose of additive from the dosing chamber toward themixing chamber.

[0008] The two mobile opening-closing organs, delimiting between themthe dosing chamber, thus together play the role of a tap integrated intothe pump itself and adapted to dose the additive intended to be mixedwith the water aspirated by the pump.

[0009] According to another characteristic of the invention, theadditive reservoir forms an integral part of the pump. Thus, the dosingpump and the additive reservoir advantageously constitute a unitary bodythat is particularly compact.

[0010] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will appearmore clearly from the description that will follow, by way ofnon-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a schematic view in partial cross section with partsbroken away of an iron according to the invention;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a partial view, to a larger scale and in cross section,of a water reservoir and a body formed by a dosing pump, an additivereservoir and a spraying device, before filling of the additivereservoir;

[0013]FIG. 3, is an elevational view, to a larger scale, of the pistonof the pump of FIG. 2;

[0014]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

[0015]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line V-V of FIG. 3;

[0016]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI of FIG. 3;

[0017]FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 2, after filling and closing ofthe additive reservoir, the pump being shown in a primed position;

[0018]FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the pump during use ofthe iron in its spraying function; and

[0019]FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, the pump being reprimed.

[0020] The iron 1 shown schematically in FIG. 1 comprises essentially anironing sole plate 2, a cover 3 and a handle 4 atop the cover. At theinterior of cover 3 are housed all of the conventional organs of aniron. Under cover 3 is housed in particular a reservoir 5 containingwater without additive.

[0021] As is shown in FIG. 1, the iron is equipped in addition with aunitary body, designated by the general reference numeral 10, which isformed by a reservoir 12 containing a textile additive 13, a singlemanual aspiration pump 15 and a spraying device 16, of a structure thatis known per se, situated in the forward region of the iron.

[0022] The textile additive 13 contained in reservoir 12 is, preferably,a concentrated active product of the type known as an ironing aid,composed notably of starch, water and a preservation product, andcapable of being mixed with all types of water.

[0023] Pump 15 comprises a cylindrical tubular body 18, having avertical axis of symmetry XX′, produced by molding of a plastic materialand having a mixing chamber 20. Pump 15 is adapted, on the one hand, toaspirate into this chamber 20 a dose of water from water reservoir 5 aswell as a predetermined dose of additive from reservoir 12, in a mannerto produce in mixing chamber 20 a diluted solution of the additive, andon the other hand, to convey this solution toward spraying device 16.The diluted additive solution, after spraying onto the fabric beingironed, serves in an advantageous manner to facilitate ironing inimproving sliding and eliminating creases.

[0024] As is better shown in FIGS. 2, 7, 8 and 9, pump 15 is of the typehaving a piston 22 movable vertically in body 18 of the pump by beingcoupled to a return spring 23 that is axially disposed. Piston 22delimits in the lower part of body 18 the mixing chamber 20 which opensinto water reservoir 5 via a one-way valve here constituted by a ball 25cooperating with a conical seat 26.

[0025] In this example of construction, see FIGS. 2, 7, 8 and 9,additive reservoir 12 forms an integral part of pump 15 and is mountedin a fixed manner and in a sealed manner, for example by mirror welding,on the upper part of body 18 of the pump while being traversed by piston22; additive reservoir 12 presents an upper wall 27 traversed by piston22 and a bottom wall 28 that opens directly into the upper part of body18 of pump 15.

[0026] In this example, spraying device 16 itself also forms an integralpart of pump 15 and, preferably results from molding with body 18 of thepump; this spraying device 16 comprises an inlet conduit 30 that opensinto mixing chamber 20 of pump 15 via a one-way valve here constitutedby a ball 31 cooperating with a conical seat 32.

[0027] According to the invention, pump 15 also serves as a tap,designated by the general reference numeral 34, permitting dosing ofadditive intended to be mixed with water from reservoir 5, in order toproduce a mixture of water and additive proportioned in a predetermineddilution ratio.

[0028] Thus, pump 15 serves not only to aspirate water and additive, butalso to dose the additive intended to be mixed with the water, thusconstituting in itself a true dosing pump of a mixture of water andadditive, capable moreover of being fabricated in the form of a small,compact pump.

[0029] By way of example, the additive being a concentrated product,pump 15 assures mixing of the concentrated product with water in aselected dilution ratio of around {fraction (1/8)}. In this example,concentrated product reservoir 12 has a capacity of 20 cm³, while waterreservoir 5 has a capacity of the order of 300 cm³.

[0030] According to an embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2, 7, 8 and 9,piston 22 is constituted by a rod 36 molded from a plastic material,more clearly visible in FIG. 3, and comprising two spaced mobileopening-closing organs constituted here respectively by two annularsealing joints, called upper 37 and lower 41, which are movably mountedin body 18 of the pump while being traversed by rod 36 and whiledelimiting between them a dosing chamber 45. These two annular joints 37and 41 each have an external periphery which bears closely against theinternal lateral face 46 of body 18 of the pump, thus forming apermanent seal on the inner surface of the body of the pump, and aninternal periphery which is spaced at a radial distance from rod 36.

[0031] The two movable joints 37 and 41 are intended to be controlledrespectively by first and second actuation means each here having twodiscs, called upper (38; 42) and lower (39; 43), which are carried in atransversely fixed manner by rod 36 while resulting advantageously frommolding with the latter, and which are associated in pairs respectivelywith the two joints (37; 41) while being disposed to one side and theother of each joint. Each of these four discs (38, 39, 42, 43) has adiameter that is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of body 18of pump 15.

[0032] The two discs, respectively upper 38 and lower 43, associatedrespectively with the upper 37 and lower 41 joints are constituted bysolid discs, while the other two similar discs, that is the lower 39 andupper 42 discs, associated respectively with the upper 37 and lower 41joints have openings. By way of example, with regard to FIGS. 5 and 6,the two discs 39 and 42 having openings, one of which (39) has adiameter slightly greater than the other disc 42, are each constitutedby two orthogonal pairs of diametrically opposed ribs, referenced at 47in FIG. 5 and at 48 in FIG. 6, thus defining between them openings (49,FIG. 5; 50, FIG. 6) intended for the passage of additive.

[0033] The two joints 37 and 41 in association with their two respectivediscs (38, 39; 42, 43), thus form valves that are moveable in verticaltranslation between:

[0034] a rest position (FIG. 7) in which upper joint 37 is open whilebearing on associated open disc 39 and spaced from the associated soliddisc 38, while lower joint 41 is closed by bearing in a sealed manner onassociated solid disc 43 and spaced from associated open disc 42, in amanner to permit passage of a dose of additive from additive reservoir12 toward dosing chamber 45 of pump 15 via openings 49 (FIG. 5) of disc39;

[0035] and a working position (FIG. 8) in which upper joint 37 is closedby bearing in a sealed manner on associated solid disc 38, while lowerjoint 41 is opened by bearing on associated open disc 42, in a manner topermit passage of the dose of additive from dosing chamber 45 towardmixing chamber 20 of pump 15 via openings 50 (FIG. 6) of disc 42.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 3, rod 36 of piston 22 comprises a plurality ofsections connected together, in the present case numbering threereferenced by 51, 52 and 53 on this FIG. 3, which have different lengthsand which have an identical cross-sectional form here constituted by twoorthogonal pairs of diametrically opposed radial ribs, referenced at 55on FIG. 4 for upper section 53 of the rod.

[0037] With respect to FIGS. 2 and 7, the upper wall 27 of additivereservoir 12 is topped by an open neck 57 that is traversed by ribs 55forming upper section 53 of rod 36, and in which is mounted a plug 59here comprising a cylindrical stem 60, oriented vertically on axis XX′while bearing against the free edges of ribs 55, cooperating with neck57 by means of non-disconnectable fixation organs 62, of a structureknown per se, and terminating at its upper part by a head 64 pierced bya central opening 65 situated above and in line with the upper extremity67 of rod 36.

[0038] Plug 59 is displaceable, for example in vertical translation,between an upper position (FIG. 2) in which opening 65 of head 64 of theplug is disengaged from upper extremity 67 of rod 36 and constitutes anopening for replenishing additive, and a lower position (FIG. 7) inwhich the opening of head 64 of the plug is blocked by upper extremity67 of rod 36 after filling additive reservoir 12.

[0039] Thus, filling of additive reservoir 12 is effectuated in a mannerthat is easy for the user. This latter slightly lifts plug 39 todisengage opening 65, as illustrated in FIG. 2, then introduces intothis latter, along arrow F of FIG. 2, additive contained, for example,in a bottle having the same capacity as reservoir 12. The additive flowsinto reservoir 12 by passage between ribs 55 forming upper section 53 ofrod 36.

[0040] During filling of additive reservoir 12, a dose of additivepenetrates into dosing chamber 45 of pump 15 due to the opening of theupper joint 37 forming a valve and the sealed closing of lower joint 41forming a valve, as is clearly visible in FIG. 7.

[0041] After filling of additive reservoir 12, the user pushes plug 59back in order to close opening 65 in which upper extremity 67 of rod 36fits perfectly, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

[0042] It is in order to note that the fact of rendering plug 59 ofadditive reservoir 12 impossible to lose is particularly pleasing to theuser.

[0043] In an advantageous manner, head 64 of plug 59, after filling andclosing of additive reservoir 12 (FIG. 7), constitutes in itself amanual control push button for rod 36 forming a piston, thus permittingachievement in a single part the organs for additive filling and formanual control of the piston of dosing pump 15.

[0044] There is shown at 69 in FIGS. 2, 7, 8 and 9 a flexible bellowsthat is interposed between the upper wall of additive reservoir 12,around neck 57 of the latter, and head 64 of plug 59. At the base ofbellows 69 there is provided a peripheral vent 71 intended to permitfolding and unfolding of the bellows.

[0045] The unitary body 10 formed by additive reservoir 12, dosing pump15 and spraying device 16 constitutes a compact body that is removablymounted in cover 3 of the iron.

[0046] In the example of construction shown in FIG. 1, this removableunitary body 10 is installed in the front part of the iron, and the pushbutton of dosing pump 15, constituted by head 64 of plug 59, ispositioned with respect to handle 4 at a height such that the user canmaneuver pump 15 practically without having to reposition his hand onthe handle of the iron.

[0047] In this example, FIG. 1, additive reservoir 12 projects almostentirely from the front part of the iron and is transparent, thusrendering the level of additive visible.

[0048] In order to use the iron, after filling and closing of additivereservoir 12 (FIG. 7), the user presses on head 64 of plug 59, which hasfor its effect to fold bellows 69, in a manner to cause descent of rod36 forming a piston in opposition to spring 23. During the course ofthis descent, upper joint 37 forming a valve is closed, while lowerjoint 41 forming a valve is open, thus permitting the dose of additivecontained in dosing chamber 45 to pass into mixing chamber 20 of thepump. Then, the user releases head 64 of plug 59, so that the rod 36forming a piston returns upwardly under the effect of spring 23, whilebellows 69 unfolds. During the course of this raising movement of rod36, valve 25 opens and a dose of water from reservoir 5 is aspiratedinto mixing chamber 20 in which water and additive mix in order toproduce a solution of additive diluted in the chosen dilution ratio. Atthe end of upward movement of rod 36, lower joint 41 forming a valvecloses, while upper joint 37 forming a valve opens, thus permitting anew dose of additive to penetrate into dosing chamber 45 of the pump.Pump 15 is thus primed, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

[0049] After priming of pump 15, the user presses on head 64 of plug 59.Under the effect of the descent of rod 36 forming a piston, the dilutedadditive solution present in mixing chamber 20 is then forced back andsent toward spraying device 16 via conduit 30 following opening of valve31 under the effect of the pressure of the forced back solution. Onethen obtains, by spraying device 16, an ejection of diluted additivesolution, as illustrated in FIG. 8.

[0050] When the user releases head 64 of plug 59, pump 15, under theeffect of spring 23, is reprimed as illustrated in FIG. 9.

1. An iron having a water reservoir (5), a reservoir (12) containing atextile additive (13), and a pump (15) comprising a mixing chamber (20)and capable, on the one hand, of aspirating into the mixing chamber (20)a dose of water from the water reservoir (5) as well as of additive fromthe additive reservoir (12) via a tap (34) permitting dosing of theadditive, in a manner to produce in the mixing chamber (20) a dilutedsolution of the additive, and on the other hand, of conveying thissolution toward a spraying device (16) situated in the forward part ofthe iron, characterized in that the pump (15) is of the piston type (22)being displaced in a body (18) and delimiting in the lower part of thebody the mixing chamber (20) that opens into the water reservoir (5) viaa one-way valve (25), said pump (15) equally serving as an additivedosing tap (34).
 2. Iron according to claim 1, characterized in that thepiston (22) comprises two spaced mobile opening-closing organs,respectively called upper (37) and lower (41), mounted in the body (18)of the pump (15) in delimiting between them a dosing chamber (45), andcontrolled respectively by first (38, 39) and second (42, 43) actuationmeans linked to the piston (22), said upper (37) and lower (41) organsbeing mobile between a rest position in which the upper organ (37) isopen, while the lower organ (41) is closed, in a manner to permit thepassage of a dose of additive from the additive reservoir (12) towardthe dosing chamber (45), and a working position in which the upper organ(37) is closed under the action of the first actuation means (38, 39),while the lower organ (41) is opened under the action of the secondactuation means (42, 43), in a manner to permit passage of the dose ofadditive from the dosing chamber (45) toward the mixing chamber (20). 3.Iron according to claim 2, wherein the body (18) of the pump (15) iscylindrical and the piston (22) is constituted by a rod (36),characterized in that the two spaced mobile opening-closing organs areconstituted respectively by two annular sealing joints, called upper(37) and lower (41), traversed by rod (36), the external periphery ofwhich bears closely against the internal lateral face (46) of the body(18) of the pump and the internal periphery of which is spaced at aradial distance from the rod (36), and in that the first and secondactuation means each have two discs, called upper (38;42) and lower(39;43), carried transversely by the rod (36), each having a diameterthat is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of body (18) of thepump, and disposed in pairs to one side and the other of each joint (37;41), the upper (38) and lower (43) discs, associated respectively withthe upper (37) and lower (41) joints being solid and the lower (39) andupper (42) discs, associated respectively with the upper (37) and lower(41) joints having openings, said upper (37) and lower (41) jointsbearing, in a rest position, respectively on the associated lower discs(39; 43) while being spaced respectively from the associated upper discs(38; 42), and coming, in a working position, to bear respectively on theassociated upper discs (38; 42).
 4. Iron according to any one of thepreceding claims, characterized in that the additive reservoir (12)forms an integral part of the pump (15).
 5. Iron according to any one ofthe preceding claims, characterized in that the additive reservoir (12)is mounted in a sealed manner on the upper part of the body (18) of thepump (15) while being traversed by the piston (22) and presents a bottom(28) that opens into said upper part of the body (18) of the pump (15).6. Iron according to claim 5, characterized in that the upper section(53) of the piston (22) traverses a neck (57) formed in the additivereservoir (12) and has a section with radial ribs (55), and in that aplug (59) is mounted in the neck (57) of additive reservoir, bearingagainst the free edges of the ribs (55), by means of non-disconnectablefixation organs (62), has an opening (65) situated above and in linewith the upper extremity (67) of the piston (22), and is displaceablebetween an upper position in which the opening (65) of the plug (59) isdisengaged from the upper extremity (67) of the piston (22) andconstitutes an opening for replenishing additive, said additive flowinginto the reservoir (12) by passage between the ribs (55) of the uppersection (53) of the piston (22), and a lower position in which theopening (65) of the plug (59) is blocked by the upper extremity (67) ofthe piston (22) after filling of the additive reservoir (12), said plug(59) in the lower position constituting a manual control button for thepiston (22).
 7. Iron according to any one of the preceding claims,characterized in that the pump (15), the additive reservoir (12) and thespraying device (16) constitute a unitary body that is removably mountedin the iron (1).
 8. Iron according to claim 7, characterized in that theunitary body is installed in the front part of the iron, the additivereservoir (12) projecting at least partially from this front part of theiron.
 9. Iron according to claim 8, characterized in that the additivereservoir (12) is transparent.
 10. Iron according to any one of thepreceding claims, wherein the textile additive (13) is a concentratedproduct, characterized in that the mixture of the concentrated productwith water is effected in a dilution ratio of around ⅛.